Bag and handle structure therefor



n Feb. 9,1 960 J. H. VINEBERG BAG AND HANDLE STRUCTURE THEREFOR lFiled. Aug. 12, 195'? BY @A op. 977%@ l ATTORNEY Unite .bittes arent O BAG AND HANDLE STRUCTURE THEREFOR Joseph H. Vineherg, Ottawa, ntario, Canada Application August 12, 1957, Serial No. 677,588

1 Claim. (Cl. 229-54) This invention relates to a bag, and more particularly to a handle structure therefor.

The most common packaging means employed in retail distribution of goods is the paper bag of conventional form. While such a bag does not ordinarily provide a neatand convenient package for carrying by the customer, nevertheless the cost of packaging is a major consideration in retail distribution and thus no packaging means of more acceptable nature to the customer has thus far been proposed for widespread use.

It is an object of this invention to provide a bag of conventional form and manufacture but having associated therewith a handle structure which is of such low cost that it will meet the requirements of the retail distributor, which is available for use with a minimum of manipulation of the bag, which results in a package of neat appearance, and which is convenient and satisfactory for use by the customer.

To this end, the invention contemplates the provision of a bag having an open mouth, the opposed portions of the bag wall adjacent said mouth being adapted to be brought into engagement to close said mouth, one of said portions having a handhole frame secured thereto, the other of said portions being free of openings.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of an open bag in accordance with the invention,

Figure 2 is a partial side elevation of the bag in partially closed condition,

Figure 3 is a partial side elevation of the bag in fully closed condition,

Figure 4 is a sectional end elevation of the bag closure on line 4-4 of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a partial side elevation of a bag with a slightly modied closure means, t

Figure 6 is a partial side elevation of the bag shown in Figure 5 in fully closed condition,

Figure 7 is a sectional end elevation of the bag closure on line 7 7 o-f Figure 6,

Figure 8 is a partial side elevation of bag with another form of closure means,

Figure 9 is a partial side elevation of the bag shown in Figure 8 in fully closed condition, and

Figure l0 is a sectional end elevation of the bag closure on line lil-10 of Figure 9.

Referring to Figures l to 4, inclusive, 1 is a bag of paper or the like of conventional form. The bag has an open mouth 2 and a closed bottom 3. Opposed portions 4 and 5 of the bag wall adjacent the mouth 2 are adapted to be brought together to close the bag after the article to be packaged has been placed in the bag.

A frame 6 having a handhole 7 therein is adhesively or otherwise secured to portion 4 of the bag wall. The frame 6 may be formed of heavy paper, cardboard or the like. Only the lower portion 8 is secured to the bag wall leaving a handle portion 9 with the hand hole 7 therein 2,924,374 Patented Feb. 9, 1960 free to Hex outwardly from the bag wall, as will be clear from Figure 4. The other bag wall portion 5 is completely free of openings or other attachment, i.e., it remains in its original form.

The frame 6 is spaced from the top edge of the bag a distance of, say, one to two inches, and preferably about two inches. The frame 6 is, of course, disposed substantially midway between the side folds 10 of the bag.

In use, after the desired article or articles have been placed in the bag and the portions 4 and 5 brought into engagement, corners 11 of the bag wall adjacent the mouth are intucked, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, and the free edge area 12 above the frame 6 is folded down through and around the upper edge portion of the frame 6, as clearly shown in Figures 3 and 4. The bag is thus fully, effectively and neatly closed and ready for carrying by inserting the hand through handhole 7. The folded in area 12 forms a conveniently rounded surface for supporting engagement by the hand and such engagement by the hand ensures that the bag will remain in fully closed condition during transportation.

Referring to Figures 5, 6 and 7, a hand hole 13 is formed in bag wall portion 4 in approximately the same location with respect to the bag 1 as hand hole 7. Preferably, the hand hole 13 is reinforced by adhesively or otherwise securing to the inner surface of bag wall portion 4 a hand hole frame 14. The bag closure is formed in the same manner as that of Figures l to 4`but it will be observed that the folded in area 12 extends inside the bag between portions 4 and 5, as will be clear from Figure 7.

Referring to Figures 8, 9 and 10, a hand hole 15 is formed in bag wall portion 4 in approximately the same location with respect to bag 1 as hand hole 7. Preferably, the hand hole 1S is reinforced by adhesively or otherwise securing to the outer surface of the bag wall portion 4 a handhole frame 16. The bag wall is severed at 17 along approximately the outer edge of the upper half of frame 16. Thus, the upper portion of frame 16 with attached bag wall section may flex outwardly for convenience of handle formation and use.

It will be apparent that the handle structure described may be applied to conventional bags with a minimum of cost, that the bag closure may be quickly formed to fully, positively, and neatly close the bag, and that the resulting handle is convenient and effective in use.

I claim:

In a bag having a tubular wall, a Vclosed bottom, and a continuous edge forming a mouth, a handle structure comprising a frame having a hand hole therein, said frame having a lower portion remote from said mouth adhesively xed to the outer surface of said bag wall, and a remaining portion adjacent said mouth containing said hand hole free of attachment to said bag wall to permit flexing of said remaining portion outwardly from said bag wall, said remaining portion of the frame, when in abutting relation with said bag wall, being spaced at least one inch from said mouth, said bag wall being otherwise unobstructed and having a continuous circumferential freely foldable portion at least one inch in width adjoining said mouth.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,611,163 Codos Dec. 21,1926 1,726,740 Jolie Sept. 3, 1929 1,751,473 Deubener Mar. 25, 1930 2,182,261 Mass Dec. 5, 1939 2,661,892 King Dec. 8, 1953 

